Friday, December 18, 2009

Such a Deal

Earlier this week, I linked you over to a great deal on closeout copies of MAD's Greatest Artists: The Completely MAD Don Martin, a fine two-volume set that Barnes & Noble was selling for a ridiculously low price. Over the next day or three — and I'll take full credit for the rush — they sold out of copies. In fact, two different readers of this site have told me they ordered the book online only to later receive e-mails that said the company had exhausted its supply and the orders would not be filled.

I told you to check out your local Barnes & Noble (you know, actually go into a bookstore) to see if they have copies because apparently, some of them have piles of 'em. For those of you who shudder at this prospect, you still may be able to procure one from your computer chair. Daedalus Books seems to still have copies for $29.98 — more than the Barnes & Noble price but still about $120 below the original list. Books-A-Million claims to have them for about the same price. I'll bet there are others.

I don't make anything off these referrals so I'm going to guilt-trip you a bit. If because of me you get one of these books at this tremendous discount, send ten or more dollars (of the $120 or so you're saving) to my favorite charity, Operation USA. No one you'll ever give money to will put it to better use.

• Posted at 10:54 PM · LINK

Today's Political Rant

Much ado was made about nothing yesterday when Al Franken, presiding over the Senate debate on Health Care, refused a request by Joe Lieberman to extend his speaking time beyond the allotted ten minutes. I first heard about it in an online link that referred to a "smackdown" and said something about "payback." But when I clicked and watched the video, it turned out to be a perfectly normal, civil exchange. Franken was enforcing a policy that applied to all, not just to Lieberman, and he said nothing insulting about Lieberman or the speech in progress. Lieberman accepted it with a smile. No fits, no fights, no feuds and no egos.

Two things made this into more than it was. First, tempers are raging about the Health Care Reform Bill and both sides saw a way to spin the exchange to their advantage. If you were for the bill, you could view it as that putz Lieberman finally getting slapped. If you were against the bill, you could see it as Al Franken demonstrating how rude Democrats can be to a fine statesman like Joe Lieberman. But if you think it was either, I think you weren't paying attention.

And then to make it worse, along comes John McCain, who rarely lets not knowing what he's talking about stop him from talking about something. He grabbed the floor and with outrage in his voice, insisted he'd never before seen a Senator refused an extra minute or so to conclude his remarks. In fact, as many have since noted, it has happened before. It had happened an hour or so earlier in the same debate yesterday and there are cases where McCain himself has cut someone off. I am so glad this man is not President.

And yeah, there's this other factor, as there always is: The insatiable lust of cable news for reportable melodrama. They made it out to be a big story...but we don't have to believe it is. And we shouldn't. There are enough real fights going on in Washington — some even about things that matter — that I don't see why we have to make them up.

• Posted at 9:31 PM · LINK

A More Congenial Spot?

Director David Lee is staging a new version of Camelot early next year at the Pasadena Playhouse. Ordinarily, the show is performed with huge sets, elaborate costumes and a large cast. The original Broadway production had 56 people on stage. Mr. Lee is dispensing with the huge sets and elaborate costumes and trimming the cast down to...wait for it...eight. We are intrigued.

• Posted at 12:42 PM · LINK

Get 'em While You Can!

Over at www.juneforay.com, we arranged things so you could order a copy of June Foray's autobiography and get it autographed by the first lady of cartoon voicing, herself...the voice of Rocky the Flying Squirrel, Natasha Fatale, Nell Fenwick, Granny and countless others. Many of you realized what a great opportunity this was and you ordered. Others of you have been putting it off...so here's fair warning. When our current supply is out, we're going to stop shlepping copies over to June's house to sign or making her come over to my place.

The book will still be available after that...and if you happen to be someplace where June's appearing, she'll be glad to sign a copy for you. But you'll no longer be able to just buy an autographed copy for a few clicks. It will only get more difficult.

Did You Grow Up With Me, Too? is the story of the Queen of Voiceover, the legendary June Foray. My pal Earl Kress and I helped her with the text and designed the book...but it's June's story, told in (mostly) her own words. You'll read how a short person from Springfield came to have the biggest — well, let's say most in-demand — mouth in Hollywood. June writes of her days working for Warner Brothers cartoons for Chuck Jones and other legendary directors there; of performing with Stan Freberg on his records and radio show; of working on the top radio programs of the forties, including a series with Steve Allen; of becoming the Squirrel half of "Moose and Squirrel" for Jay Ward; of founding the Hollywood chapter of ASIFA, the International Animation Society; of looping and dubbing major motion pictures...and so much more. All of this is illustrated with photos from June's private collection.

Enough sales pitch. If you're a fan of June's — and how could you not be? — get your order in while we're still doing this. You'll regret it if you don't.

• Posted at 1:31 AM · LINK

Today's Video Link

Jon Stewart on Sesame Street...

• Posted at 12:45 AM · LINK